In this interview, Lauren discusses her real-life aviation experience helping inspire her new romance, Love in Plane Sight, the power imbalance for women in the field of aviation, and more.

Name: Lauren Connolly
Literary agent: Lesley Sabga, Seymour Literary Agency
Book title: Love in Plane Sight
Publisher: Berkley, Penguin Random House
Release date: Dec 16, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: PS: I Hate You, Rescue Me, Read Me, Claws & Crochet, Fire Magic & Ice Cream
Elevator pitch: When entering the male-dominated world of aviation, the last thing she wants is to be turned-on in the cockpit.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I had been throwing around the idea of writing a romance about a pilot for a few years. My dad flies as a hobby, and he got his license the same day he met my mom. I always thought that was a romantic anecdote. Ever since I was a little kid, he’s taken me up flying with him, and when I’m brainstorming books to write I’ll often pluck a small detail from my real-life experience then build that out into a story. Plus, my dad has always been super supportive of my writing career, and I knew he’d get a kick out of helping me fact check the book.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Love in Plane Sight is the second book in a two-book contract I have with Berkley, and I pitched the idea for the book when we met to discuss a potential deal for my first book with them, PS: I Hate You. Berkley offered on both books in spring of 2023. We sold the books as proposals—a synopsis and roughly 3 chapters—and I wrote PS: I Hate You first, then wrote Love in Plane Sight spring of 2024 and had a finished draft to send in by August. Publication date is December 16, 2025, so it was a little over two and a half years between idea and publication, which actually seems a bit fast with how slow traditional publishing often moves.

The idea itself didn’t change much with this book. I tend to be a plotter, and I had to turn a synopsis in to Berkley before I started writing. I kept pretty close to that original outline, just adding in more scenes and character building when the story needed more depth. This isn’t how it goes with every book I write, but it worked out for me in this case!

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

This is my second book releasing with a Big Five publisher, and I think the most jarring thing is having a lot of people read and love my first book with the publisher and now be expecting another book that makes them feel the same way the first did. I have over 20 self-published books, and for those I felt much less pressure. There’s a sort of freedom in self-publishing, especially when I set the expectation early on that I write wherever my mood takes me. But now on this bigger stage, it’s as though the readers’ voices are louder, and I’m trying not to let their expectations dictate how and what I write. Some of my books will be emotional roller coasters, and others will be lighthearted romps, and all of that’s OK. But I’m definitely feeling a touch more anxiety as we approach publication day!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

While writing Love in Plane Sight I interviewed multiple female pilots, and though I knew there was a power imbalance for women in the field of aviation, it was still jarring to hear about their firsthand experiences. Yet even with the pushback they faced, they still maintained a love for flying and great pride in their accomplishments. Speaking to them was inspiring, and I sometimes forget how much it can help my process to leave my comfy writing cave and interact with the world.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I write romance novels because I love bringing two opposing characters together and forging a strong relationship between them. I hope readers who pick up my book enjoy that journey and turn the last page with a feeling of hope. I would also love if this book inspired more people to pursue their pilot’s license. My dad loves flying, and there are a lot more resources out there than people might think.

Oh, and banter! I live to make people laugh with my writing. Fingers crossed most readers find my books funny so I’m not just telling these jokes to myself.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

My advice for writers is to be open to publishing in a variety of ways. Love in Plane Sight is releasing with a Big Five publisher, and I truly enjoy working with the Berkley team, but I also have grown as an author because of the books I put out myself and with small presses. I may not have even gotten my publishing deal if I hadn’t spent so many years publishing other books and building a foundation for my career. For those writers who have endless ideas and want to write 10, 50, 100+ books in your life, don’t hold yourself back as you wait to hear from agents and editors. Write the next book and explore all the publishing methods available. Don’t be afraid to put your books out in the world!

The post Lauren Connolly: I Live To Make People Laugh With My Writing appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Bryn discusses the power of a high-concept story, surprises in the writing process, avoiding AI like poison, and much more.

Name: Bryn Donovan
Literary agent: Julie Gwinn, The Seymour Agency
Book title: Her Time Traveling Duke
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Romantic Comedy; Paranormal & Fantasy Romance
Previous titles: Her Knight at the Museum, Berkley; Master Lists for Writers
Elevator pitch for the book: Magic meets science and sunshine meets grumpy when a love spell whisks a Regency-era duke to modern times.

Bookshop | Amazon

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What prompted you to write this book?

Rose Novak, the heroine of this book, was the best friend of the heroine in my previous book, Her Knight at the Museum. I usually take a long time to develop characters, but Rose showed up on the page fully formed. She’s a self-taught, chaotic witch, and as I wrote the first scene with her in book one, I realized something about her that inspired the story in Her Time Traveling Duke.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

It took about a year and a half from the original idea to publication, but of course, the book was finished months in advance of the release date. I had to do a lot of research for this one: Regency-era England, art restoration, the history of astronomy, time travel theories, and another topic that would be too spoiler-y to mention. My editor and I agreed on a synopsis in advance, so the plot didn’t change much until the end.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is the power of a high-concept story. In other words, you read the title and the logline, and you see the cover design, and you know what you’re getting. The publisher changed my original title to Her Time Traveling Duke, and I thought that was perfect. That title, paired with his cover illustration, conveys the “man out of time” idea so quickly.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

There is one thing in the story that could go either way, and until I got to the end of the first draft, I really didn’t know what would happen! Also at the end, something happens to a secondary character that I didn’t see coming, although in retrospect, I should have.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

There are two themes I come back to again and again. One of them is taking joy in the moment, even when things are tough. Rose grew up working class, and she has tragedy and heartbreak in her past, but she still finds the magic in life, figuratively as well as literally. The other theme is about nothing being ever truly lost.

I love writing about Chicago because so many people have false impressions of the city. It isn’t high in crime; it doesn’t even rank in the top 25 most dangerous U.S. cities. Chicago is filled with culture, it has unique traditions, and the lake and the skyscrapers are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. In Her Time Traveling Duke, you’ll visit Rose’s vibrant neighborhood of Pilsen, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Riverwalk, a Lincoln Park mansion, a basement apartment on the South Side, and a hot dog stand with famously rude employees. The city is definitely one of the main characters in the book.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Avoid so-called AI like poison. Your brain needs regular practice at putting together sentences, and even writing a boring email counts. A recent MIT study showed that regular use of large language models like ChatGPT negatively affected memory, attention span, and executive function—all things you need to write. Besides, you never want to be tempted to lie about your process. That’s never going to feel great. The way you brainstorm and work through creative roadblocks is part of what makes your writing unique, and your authorial voice is worth nurturing.

The post Bryn Donovan: On the Power of a High-Concept Story appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Carissa discusses upping the stakes in her series with her new romantasy novel, Children of Fallen Gods, her hope for readers, and more.

Name: Carissa Broadbent
Literary agent: Bibi Lewis 
Book title: Children of Fallen Gods
Publisher: Bramble
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Romantasy 
Previous titles: War of Lost Hearts series and Crowns of Nyaxia series
Elevator pitch: Tisaanah bargained away her own freedom to save those she left behind in slavery. Now, bound by her blood pact, she must fight the Orders’ war—and Max is determined to protect her at all costs.But when a betrayal tears apart Ara, Max and Tisaanah are pushed into an even bloodier conflict. All the while, darker forces loom. As Tisaanah and Max are ensnared in a web of ancient magic and twisted secrets, one question remains: what are they willing to sacrifice for victory? For power? For love?

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What prompted you to write this book?

This is the second book in the War of Lost Hearts trilogy, and I jumped into it right after I finished book one, Daughter of No Worlds, which followed a young magic wielding woman as she escapes enslavement and joins a powerful organization of magic wielders with the help of a reclusive former soldier. This is an epic fantasy trilogy, and it’s really in this book that the scale of the story increases dramatically and the stakes get much higher. So, while Daughter of No Worlds was a very easy book to write comparatively, and very low pressure because I was writing it solely for myself, this one was a lot more complicated because there was a lot that I was trying to execute with this story.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

This book was originally independently published in March of 2021, and it was one of the most challenging writing processes I’ve ever gone through—even now, eight books later! Daughter of No Worlds, the first book in the series, came out in January 2020, which meant that I was working on this sequel through the beginning of the pandemic, when I was also going through some stressful changes in my day job at the time. I began working on the book in early 2020 and was working on it right up until its release day (a luxury available to indie published authors!), so the whole process took a bit over a year. It was by far the most epic and complicated book I’d ever written, with three intersecting POVs, and I didn’t do enough pre-writing, which meant that there was a big hole in the first half of the book that I ended up completely rewriting multiple times.

It was painful! But it was also the most effective learning experience out of any of the books I’ve written. I learned so much about my craft and how I work!

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Of all my independently published titles, this one was the greatest learning experience. In self-publishing, authors have simultaneously more and less flexibility than in traditional publishing—more in the sense that there are fewer people and scheduling considerations to take into account, and less in the sense that indie authors are limited by Amazon, etc. in rescheduling their books. Children of Fallen Gods was a perfect storm of internal and external factors that required me to shift the publishing schedule multiple times, in small increments because of the requirements for indie authors at the time to move a release without losing all preorders. It was a huge amount of pressure! Looking back, I wish I had given myself much more time to begin with to avoid getting into this situation from the start, but I feel almost every author has some sort of story like this—seems like a learning experience most of us need to go through!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

As I referenced above, this was an extremely challenging book to write. It’s the second book in an epic fantasy trilogy, and it’s a bit of a cliche among authors at this point that book twos are uniquely painful! Of all the book I’ve written, this one went through the most extensive rewrites and had the most non-linear drafting process, because I ended up totally reworking the first half of the book. However, I have no regrets about this, as painful as it was at the time, because it taught me so much about how I work now. I now know that I need to take the time to work through gaps in the story in the pre-writing/outlining phase, and if I don’t, I can definitely get myself into some deep trouble later. This book ultimately pushed me into a radically different pre-writing process that I adopted from the third book onwards, and though of course this process evolves a bit with every book, I have largely stuck with it since. I’m grateful to this book for that reason! I learned so much about how I work.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

It meant so much to me to write this trilogy partly because writing it was my way of working out my own frustration and confusion with the world—grappling with a lot of open questions I still don’t know how to answer through these characters. Children of Fallen Gods expands the world dramatically and also gets much darker than the first book. But the relationships at its heart—the romances and beyond—are also much deeper. Even though this is a fantastical world and story, I hope that readers see themselves in the characters and that it helps them make sense of the darkness in the world as it did for me.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to learn as you execute instead of waiting to reach some intangible level of “ready” before you start. This is by far the biggest challenge I see new writers face—they never finish because they won’t let themselves really start because they feel they “aren’t ready.” Every book I’ve ever written—especially this one—has taught me that there is no level at which you “feel ready!” Every author out there, even the most successful and prolific, are constantly learning and redefining their own processes, and by far the most valuable teacher is actually being hands-on with your book.

The post Carissa Broadbent: On the Second-Book Challenges appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Amy discusses how her own loss helped inspire her new novel, How to Grieve Like a Victorian, what rewrites taught her about the evolution of grief, and more.

Name: Amy Carol Reeves
Literary agent: Jessica Sinsheimer with Context Literary Agency
Book title: How to Grieve Like a Victorian
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Women’s Fiction/Romance
Previous titles: Ripper, Renegade, Resurrection
Elevator pitch: After the sudden death of her husband, bestselling author and British Literature professor, Dr. Lizzie Wells, turns into a hot mess, coping with the grief through mourning Victorian style—widow weeds, black jet jewelry. Confused after almost-kissing her late husband’s best friend, Lizzie hares off to London, but she can’t forget that almost-kiss and the possibility of second chances.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

My husband passed away in the summer of 2020. We had a wonderful marriage, and I didn’t know what to do with my grief. I have a PhD in British Literature, and I kept thinking about how Queen Victoria, a young widow herself, modelled mourning for other widows. I thought about all the strict Victorian rules for mourning—how widows should act, what they should wear, their conspicuous display of mourning trinkets. At some levels, I adapted the rituals for myself. I had a keepsake urn for my husband’s ashes. I wore a necklace with his fingerprint on it. I wore a lot of black cardigans and dresses. The “rules” helped to give structure for my grief when it felt too big. I wrote about my experiences in a Zibby Mag essay, “How Victorian Rituals Helped Me Through Widowhood.” Although my book is fiction, my own experiences certainly gave birth to the idea.  

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I began writing How to Grieve Like a Victorian during my early months as a widow. I wrote it, and then rewrote it all again, revised a bit more, and my amazing editor from Canary Street Press, Cat Clyne, picked it up in the fall of 2023. It debuts this December, so it’s been about five years from idea to publication. During rewrites, the novel became funnier. I think as I progressed in my own widowhood, I learned that grief isn’t linear. The heartbreak never goes away, but I also feel joy, connection, and hope. Along my own way, I gave Lizzie the opportunity to evolve as well. I gave her more permission to let go and have fun. During rewrites, I inserted the hilarious scene where she ends up performing on a burlesque stage—breaking all her widow rules as she lets go having the time of her life even as she remembers her late husband.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Marketing was tricky as we didn’t want readers to think it’s only a “sad” book. There is grief and tragedy, but there are so many funny and joyful moments too. I think the striking cover art depicts this juxtaposition well where Lizzie’s tear stands out against the bright London background.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I realized during rewrites that Lizzie’s grief isn’t just about losing her husband Philip. She learns she’s still mourning her remarkable mother who passed away shortly before him. Lizzie helps her loving but awkward professor-father break out of his own shell. Additionally, she learns that her eccentric, manipulative mother-in-law, desperate to keep family secrets close to her chest, is acting out largely from her own grief. Amid the conflict, Lizzie tries to help her see this. Rewrites helped to deepen these character relationships and better depict the layered nature of grief.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

We’ve all experienced loss and grief at some point. My hope is that readers, widows and otherwise, can realize that finding joy again isn’t a betrayal of your loved one. If anything, you’re honoring them by fully living.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Be gritty. Writing is about rejections, uncertain outcomes, and revision, revision, revision. Don’t give up during the process.

The post Amy Carol Reeves: Be Gritty appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Writing Spicy Scenes That Are Integral to the Story.)

Remember: Smart is the ultimate aphrodisiac!

1. Make the Science Sexy, Not Scary

Readers don’t want to feel like they need a PhD to understand your love scene. But also? There’s something devastatingly hot about a heroine who can explain machine learning algorithms while her love interest is trying to concentrate on not kissing her. The trick is using science as foreplay, not a textbook.

When my heroine Harriet got excited about her AI creation, I made sure readers could feel the hero Gale noticing how her green eyes lit up, how she gestured with her hands, how she nibbled her lip when the data surprised her. That passion for discovery? Channel it straight into sexual tension!

Think of it this way: Your hero doesn’t need to understand quantum mechanics to be turned on by watching his brilliant scientist ramble about her field of interest. What matters is capturing that infectious enthusiasm, that spark of genius that makes someone irresistible. The science becomes a window into who they are: their curiosity, their determination, their absolute refusal to settle for surface-level answers. And when that intensity gets redirected toward desire? Game over.

2. Let Professional Tension Amplify Romantic Tension

Nothing quite says “I wanna professionally collaborate with you and also unprofessionally ruin you” quite like being forced to work together when you’re supposed to maintain boundaries. STEM settings are basically romantic pressure cookers. Every data point becomes an excuse for proximity. Every test requires touching.

3. Subvert the Stereotypes While Honoring the Truth

Your nerdy heroine can absolutely own her awkwardness—but maybe she’s only weird about normal social stuff because she’s too busy being confident about her research. Harriet can command a room presenting her AI but completely malfunctions around her best friend’s little brother. She’s brilliant with code but terrible at reading the obvious signs that Gale is super into her.

4. Create Competence Porn

What is hotter than watching someone be incredible at their job? Nothing! I took time showing Harriet in her element, fingers flying over keyboards, completely absorbed in her work while Gale watches with open admiration. Then flip it: Show him on the ice, all controlled power and precision, while her professional observations become very unprofessional thoughts. Competence is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

5. Make Consent and Communication Sexy

Scientists literally can’t do anything without protocols, documentation, and peer review. Apply this energy to your sex scenes. Your characters discussing boundaries with the same precision they’d apply to research parameters isn’t clinical…it’s hot as heck. When Harriet finally admits her feelings, they negotiate their relationship, they establish parameters and success metrics. “I’m going to need verbal confirmation that you want this” hits different when it’s delivered by someone who understands the importance of reproducible results.

Here’s the Bottom Line

STEM romance works because intelligence is attractive, passion is contagious, and watching two people figure out the chemistry between them while navigating actual chemistry (or physics, or coding, or whatever their field) creates irresistible tension. Don’t overthink it.

Let your characters be smart, let them be awkward, let them be confidently competent in their labs and adorably clueless about their feelings. The steam will follow naturally. And that’s because when you put people together who approach everything with curiosity and precision, including each other? That’s a reaction you can’t help but root for.

Check out Lia Riley’s The E.M.M.A. Effect here:

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 Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita 

Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First-Century Life

(Nonfiction, November, Avid Reader Press)

“ An infectiously edifying, not-so-saintly self-help book that dives into the wild, wise, and unconventional lives of 16th- and 17th-century nuns, offering advice for our modern age and proving one thing: no matter the century, nuns know best.”

Writes from: Halfway between Madrid (Spain) and New York.

Pre-Convent: We like to think that the seed of Convent Wisdom was planted the night we first met in August 2016. We weren’t the only prospective graduate students visiting Brown University that summer, but we were the only two ones matching our very specific freak: a passion for the lives and texts of 16^th– and 17^th-century nuns. That night, we knew that we would spend years of sleepless nights trying to reduce our fascination for nuns to the rigid formulas of academic writing.

What we didn’t know was that, four years later, in 2020, we’d decide to take our nuns out of dusty archives and aseptic academic journals and bring them to more playful realms. “Las hijas de Felipe,” our podcast devoted to unearthing hidden stories from the 16^th– and 17^th-century stories, confirmed what we already suspected: 16^th– and 17^th-century nuns were refreshingly relatable today. By the time we embarked on Convent Wisdom, we were used to spending most of our days writing—whether our PhD dissertations, academic papers, or podcast scripts—but this book demanded something new. It required us to craft a new voice—the two of us merged in one—and a new genre—rigorous academic research turned into a playful self-help guide.

Time frame: Once we started writing, we finished Convent Wisdom in about a year. But we had been researching, first separately and then together, for more than a decade.

Enter the agent: Our agent found us! She had been listening to our podcast for a while, and she had the feeling that we might have an idea for a book. In fact, when she approached us, we were already conceiving the general idea for the book with our Spanish editor.

Biggest surprise: When we received all the offers at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2023—nine countries plus an auction between seven U.S. publishing houses—we were shocked. It was both a huge surprise and a well-deserved confirmation that our intuition was right: in the crumbling 21^st century we live in, we all need a portable convent to find solace. It was comforting to see that, after all the years spent in libraries and archives, we had found a way to share the stories of those nuns who had captivated us and helped us survive throughout the most challenging moments of our lives.

What I did right: We were not in a hurry to publish, and that helped. Well before the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair, we were approached by a couple of publishers, but we decided not to go ahead with them. We felt it was hasty at that point, and that their aim was to make a hurried and shallow translation of our podcast into a book. Instead, we decided to wait until we had reached a more elaborate and nuanced idea of the book.

What I would have done differently: We had no idea how to navigate those situations, but somehow our intuition was right. However, we would happily erase all the anxiety and the self-doubt that we went through.

Platform: Our podcast and our social media are great platforms, but only for Spanish-speaking audiences. We’ll have to work on English content to try and gain new international readership

Advice for writers: You don’t have to write on your own. Sometimes, it can be so much better with friends. It worked for us, and it worked for many of our nuns.

Next up: We’re working on a historical audio fiction. We’d also love to launch some episodes of our podcast in English.

Website: LasHijasDeFelipe.com

Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton 

Of Swamp & Sea 

(Romantasy graphic novel, November, 23^rd Street)

“A woman possessed by a monster must embark on a dangerous and magical journey, accompanied by a monster hunter who could be friend, foe, or lover.”

Writes from: Gulf Shores, Ala.

Pre-Swamp: We’ve really been building the bones of this story since 2014 (the year we got married), and back then, it was almost unrecognizable aside from the characters’ names. It really evolved and transmuted throughout the decade as we worked on the story back and forth alongside our other projects. Of Swamp & Sea began in prose form, as all our work does, before making the leap to an illustrated comic in 2019. We finally wrapped up the art for it earlier this year, meaning it took us around six years to write, illustrate, and color close to 5,000 individual panels. But it only took us less than a year to format them into a five-novel series, the first of which is coming out this November.

Time frame: When we first went searching for an agent, there were still very few Webtoon properties that had made the leap to print—we think the industry was still really figuring out how that could work. We searched high and low through online databases like Manuscript Wish List, looking for someone with a mind for art, romance, and the supernatural. We were so happy when our agent, Lane Clarke, decided to hear us out.

Enter the agent: We were surprised by just how difficult it could be to take a vertical-scrolling comic and reimagine it for print format. Every new page felt like a puzzle to solve and an exercise in problem-solving. The goal was always to have the art look as natural as possible, like it was born for the printed page. We really do think we accomplished that goal, and we’re looking forward to current and new readers discovering the story of Mercy and Jonah in a whole new format.

Biggest surprise: Measured persistence has really been one of the keys to getting this far. Every step of the way from creating to publishing has felt like a new obstacle course to learn to navigate and overcome, but we never let a failure steep for too long before trying again. However, we also didn’t let an output goal control our lives, and we still made time for the things we love, for our hobbies, and for each other. It’s important to never give up, while never letting it burn your candle down entirely.

What I did right: I joined a writers’ group. I’ve been in my writers’ group now for over seven years, and I’ve learned so much and grown so much from being in that group. When we started, none of us had books published, and most of us didn’t have agents yet. Now, everyone has at least one book published. Seeing my friends in the group go through that process taught me a lot about what publishing is like and what to expect. So actually, not a lot of things were a surprise to me about the publishing process because I’d already seen how everything plays out through my writers’ group.

What I would have done differently: We do plan on doing it all again, because we want to keep creating forever. Next time, we’ll put more of a focus on future-proofing our projects, mainly through the way we’ll keep our files organized and prepared for both digital and print outcomes.

Platform: Our platform of readers on WEBTOON has followed us through the whole Of Swamp & Sea saga, and we’re endlessly grateful for their loyalty. We hope that many of them will pick up its first print installment for their shelves when it hits storefronts, as a print edition has been much requested since the very earliest days. Of course, we also want to bring the story to the eyes of a new audience, which we’re working on building via social media with the help of our publisher, 23^rd Street.

Advice for writers: Never stop loving what you do: people change, and it’s okay for their stories to change with them. You can’t let the fear of losing what you already have in a project stop you from exploring what it could be. In the end, your finished work is always going to look different than how it started, and that’s a good thing. You just have to see it through to find out what your story becomes.

Next up: After book one, we’ve got four more Of Swamp & Sea volumes on the way. After that? We want to write more adventures about love and magic, and continue telling stories through art. 

Website: Linktr.ee/ofswampandsea

Marco Anderson

This Book Is About Nothing

(Children’s picture book, November, Moon + Bird)

“A hilarious and colourful picture book about a child’s unique journey to making new friends.”

Writes from: London.

Pre-Book: I wrote this book coming out of COVID lockdown. I had not written a book before, so when I had the idea, I definitely did not think that it would get published. But, as the idea kept growing, I became more and more confident in this idea and the reality of it actually being published. 

Time frame: I originally wrote this in a PowerPoint, and we developed the story into what it is now over the next couple of years. I had this idea back in spring of 2021, and we just got the ideas out into a basic PowerPoint presentation. About a month or two later, I first met with the publishing team and showed them my concept. We continued working together over the next four years and turned the idea into a real book.

Enter the agent: I do not have an agent. After coming up with the concept, I was introduced to Etan and the team at Moon + Bird. They helped me do this, and I worked with my dad on this book as well.

Biggest surprise: One of the things that surprised me most was simply how long it takes to get a book published. I originally had the idea in 2021, and now four years later, it’s about to get published.

What I did right: I was really lucky because I didn’t know what I was doing and the team at Moon + Bird was really amazing at guiding me through the process.

What I would have done differently: I really don’t think that there’s anything that I would have done differently with this book, but there are a lot of skills that I learned over the process of creating this book, which I would apply to future books.

Platform: No, I don’t currently have a platform because I’m too busy with my middle school studies.

Advice for writers: The best piece of advice that I can give you is to just keep on going and trying to make what you want a reality.

Next up: Honestly, I have too much homework right now to think that far into the future.

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In this interview, Zakiya discusses challenging the female virgin trope in her new romance, Sparks Fly, how she incorporated the subject of AI into the story, and more.

Name: Zakiya N. Jamal
Literary agent: Thao Le
Book title: Sparks Fly
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: December 2, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: If We Were a Movie
Elevator pitch: A late bloomer goes to a sex club in the hopes of finally losing her V-card only to stumble into love instead.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

As a lover of romance, I wanted to play with the female virgin trope. Often in straight, or straight presenting, romance novels, the virgin female main character (FMC) is portrayed as innocent or “pure.” Someone who’s unfamiliar with sex or her own sexuality. Typically, they’ve never had an orgasm before. As a late bloomer myself, while that may be true for some, it certainly isn’t true for all so, I wanted to explore a different kind of experience where the FMC knows what she wants and is in touch with her sexuality she just hasn’t found the right person to explore that with yet.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I think I first start drafting what would eventually become Sparks Fly in 2022. Originally, I was calling it I Want You to Want Me (I love song titles as book titles) and Stella worked at a magazine called Entertainment Monthly (a rip on Entertainment Weekly) and Max was the CEO of the entire magazine publisher that was supposed to be a fictionalized version of Time, Inc., which no longer exists. However, my agent noted that female leads in romcoms are always journalists, so she suggested I go a different route with Stella’s career. She suggested publishing, but I currently work in publishing, so that felt a little too close to home for me. So, I placed Stella at Yellow Sparks, which is a fictionalized version of BuzzFeed, where I did work briefly 10 years ago. Some would argue Stella’s still a journalist, but it was fun tapping into the digital media space that doesn’t really exist anymore as it did when I worked in it. The premise of Stella meeting Max at the sex club never changed.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Not really. I’ve worked in publishing for almost 10 years now, so I knew a lot about the process going into it—that’s definitely helped me go through this whole journey.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I think the biggest surprise for me has been the AI plot and how much it resonates with people now. When I decided to make AI a big plot point of the book it, definitely wasn’t as hot a topic as it is now, and it’s what many people find interesting about the book, which I think is a great stroke of luck on my part. I mainly pulled in the AI plot because I had been doing research on BuzzFeed since it’d been so long since I worked there. One of the things that popped up was BuzzFeed getting called out for having AI-written articles. I thought that was interesting and then at the same time at my day job AI was also becoming a topic of conversation, so it felt like a good thread to tie into the story. I also wanted Max to have a smidge of distance from Stella’s job, so I changed him from being the CEO of the company she worked for to the brother of the CEO. And he needed a new job, so the AI company fit in perfectly.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope late bloomers and Black queer people feel seen. I really wrote this book for them.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Authors always say this but truly my biggest piece of advice is to keep writing. Unfortunately, the only way the book will get done is by writing it, so even when it feels hard and you think everything you write is terrible, keep going. You can’t fix a blank page!

The post Zakiya N. Jamal: You Can’t Fix a Blank Page appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Alana discusses learning everything she could about tequila and mezcal while writing her new romance novel, My Fair Señor, her hope for readers, and more.

Name: Alana Quintana Albertson
Literary agent: Jill Marsal
Book title: My Fair Señor
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: November 25, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: Ramón and Julieta; Kiss Me, Mi Amor
Elevator pitch: A gender-swapped My Fair Lady second chance romance featuring a playboy influencer and his tequila bar owner ex.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

I wanted to set a book in my hometown and talk about the world of tequila.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I sold this book as the third in the series, but this one was harder to write. It was initially another Shakespeare retelling. I first drafted it in 2023, but it won’t come out until 2025.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I learned SO much about tequila and mezcal. I didn’t know there were so many different types and the processes of making each.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

This is my 33^rd book. I keep thinking each one will get easier, but this one was very hard to write.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope readers will learn about the process of making tequila, think about cultural appropriation, and also realize that this book is a retelling of My Fair Lady and that Jaime was purposely written as a character who needs growth.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Read in your genre and write daily. Never give up because this industry is very tough.

The post Alana Quintana Albertson: On Retellings, Tequila, and Romance appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Natasha discusses foraying into a new genre with her new historical romantic fantasy, As Many Souls As Stars, her advice for other writers, and more.

Name: Natasha Siegel
Literary agent: Catherine Cho, Paper Literary
Book title: As Many Souls As Stars
Publisher: William Morrow
Release date: November 25, 2025
Genre/category: Historical Fantasy, Romance
Previous titles: Solomon’s Crown; The Phoenix Bride
Elevator pitch: A gothic and romantic speculative novel about two women—a witch and an immortal demon—who make a Faustian bargain and are drawn into a cat-and-mouse-chase across multiple lifetimes.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

I was inspired initially by Marlowe’s Faust—what would a sapphic take on this iconic legend look like? But as I played around with this idea, I realized that the idea of selling your soul had incredible resonance with my experiences as a queer woman, and the novel became a way for me to explore that and make my first foray into fantasy.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I wrote the initial draft of the book during the early pandemic, and it’s coming out in 2025, so about five years! The book changed massively in the process—it started off much more plot driven, harsher, and less romantic. But as I wrote I truly fell in love with the characters, and I realized I wanted to invest much more time and energy into their development and their relationship, to the point where I actually ended up doing a blank-page rewrite. It was a ton of work, but absolutely worth it; I went from considering shelving the manuscript entirely to absolutely adoring it.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

This was a foray into a new genre for me, and so I learnt a lot both during the writing process and during publishing. There’s of course crossover with the audience for my previous historical romances, but one of the most delightful things about it has been getting to chat with and encounter the incredible readers and other writers in the fantasy space! There’s so much incredible innovation happening in this genre and it’s so wonderful to experience it first-hand. It’s also been interesting to see how things like publicity and marketing differ between genres and publishers, too—there’s so much effort and creativity involved for all these teams and seeing their ideas come to life is wonderful.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

Apart from deciding to rewrite it from scratch? Since this novel takes place across several different time periods, my research was a complicated but fascinating process. I encountered lots of things that really surprised me and that have surprised readers, too—I’ve had some people tell me they assumed something was inaccurate until they looked it up! Details from the use of glitter in Elizabethan makeup to the excessive smoking at Regency Balls. I learnt so much while writing, and it reminded me why I’ve always been so in love with historical settings.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

On a fundamental level, although this book is very gothic—all about female rage and struggling against patriarchy—I do hope that readers also see the moments of light, too. How love can illuminate something beautiful even in darkness. And I hope it raises some questions, too. What do we owe those who came before us, and those who come after?

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Be stubborn, and maybe even a little conceited. You need to believe in your own work, be confident that it’s worthwhile, because you are the only fundamental consistency in the process—and your love of the craft is what will make it always worth it, regardless of all the noise from outside.

The post Natasha Siegel: You Need To Believe in Your Own Work appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Megan discusses how a trip to Iceland helped inspire her debut romance novel, Secret Nights and Northern Lights, her hope to inspire wanderlust in her readers, and more.

Name: Megan Oliver
Literary agent: Laura Blake Peterson at Curtis Brown, LTD.
Book title: Secret Nights and Northern Lights
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: November 18, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Elevator pitch: A travel writer finally gets her shot to cover an international assignment in Iceland, only to find out the freelance photographer accompanying her is the guy who broke her heart in high school.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

I traveled to Iceland and went on the exact road trip around Ring Road that my characters take in the book. I immediately fell in love with the country and knew it was the perfect setting for an angsty, second-chance romance.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

More than three years. The idea didn’t necessarily change throughout the writing process, but the execution certainly did. There were several rewrites after feedback from some trusted critique partners. One early version of this book had “now” chapters and “then” chapters to showcase Mona and Ben throughout their childhood and adolescence, and I eventually realized that the dual timeline just wasn’t working for this story. I removed the “then” chapters and wove glimpses of their pasts into the present timeline.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

So many! As a debut author, all of this has been brand new for me so I’m just along for the ride and trying to soak it all in.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

One thing that always takes me by surprise is how overwhelmed I feel at the beginning of any new project. Those very early stages when I’m trying to figure out the characters and figure out the plot and figure out the scenes are incredibly intimidating to me, and it never gets any easier. I’m not great at plotting no matter how hard I try to be, so that first draft always takes me a while to complete.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

Some readers of early copies have reached out to tell me that this book has inspired them to visit Iceland or to try to travel more in general, and hearing that has brought me a lot of joy. So, I hope readers really love this second-chance romance, and I also hope this book continues to inspire some wanderlust!

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

I would say that persistence really is the key. I doubt there’s any writer out there that has never been told no or faced some kind of rejection, and sometimes the only thing in our control is to keep working on a project or writing the next thing.

The post Megan Oliver: Persistence Really Is the Key appeared first on Writer's Digest.